Psalm 103 …What I Believe

Praise the LORD, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits—
who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,
who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
The LORD works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed.
He made known his ways to Moses, his deeds to the people of Israel:
The LORD is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in love.
He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever;
He does not treat us as our sins deserve
or repay us according to our iniquities.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear him;
As far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
As a father has compassion on his children,
so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him;
For he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust.
As for man, his days are like grass, he flourishes like a flower of the field;
The wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more.
But from everlasting to everlasting
the LORD’s love is with those who fear him,
and his righteousness with their children’s children—
with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts.
The LORD has established his throne in heaven,
and his kingdom rules over all.
Praise the LORD, you his angels,
you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word.
Praise the LORD, all his heavenly hosts, you his servants who do his will.
Praise the LORD, all his works everywhere in his dominion.
Praise the LORD, O my soul.

Psalm 103

There are so many gospel truths wrapped up in this Old Testament Psalm of praise!

I am to give thanks to God with my whole soul, heart, and mind. I need to remember that He is Holy and good – all the time. He alone is worthy of my praise.

who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, (v. 3)

God is the One who forgives and heals my soul. All-my-sins. He breaks the hold of sin on my life. Through Christ, my sins are washed away and I am restored to Him.

who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion, (v. 4)

I am guilty in my sin and deserving of punishment and death, but Christ paid my ransom. He redeemed me and saved me from eternal death and separation from Him. He deals tenderly with me. I am unworthy, but he crowns me with love and compassion.

who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. (v. 5)

Only God can satisfy the longings of my soul. I am strengthened and filled with new life in Him.

The LORD is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in love. (v. 8)

Although I am a sinner and guilty, He shows compassion and extends grace through His Son, Jesus Christ. Grace is God blessing us despite the fact that we don’t deserve it. There was nothing I could do to earn my salvation. It is a gift from God. He is extending kindness to me – the ungodly and sinful. He has been so patient and loving, allowing me time to repent of my sins. He wants all to be saved, but we each must choose – to either accept His gift of debt paid in full and to repent of our sins or… to reject Him.

He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; (v.9)

Once I have repented of my sins and turned to Him for my salvation, His wrath is no longer on me! Jesus, God’s Only Son, took my punishment. Wow. I have to pause and truly let that sink down deep in my heart.

He does not treat us as our sins deserve
or repay us according to our iniquities. (v.10)

My God is merciful! Because of my sins, I was deserving of eternal death and separation from Him. God not punishing us as our sins deserve is mercy. He supplied deliverance from judgment through the death of His Son on the cross. I am saved by the precious blood of Christ.

For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear him;
As far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us. (v. 11-12)

When I truly repent of my sins, God forgives me and my sins will be remembered no more!

As a father has compassion on his children,
so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him; (v. 13)

I have been adopted as a child of God and He deals tenderly with me as a loving, earthly father would (instructing, guiding, comforting, disciplining, etc.).

For he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust.
As for man, his days are like grass, he flourishes like a flower of the field;
The wind blows over it and it is gone,
and its place remembers it no more. (v. 14-16)

God created me. He knows me – how I was formed, my frailties, my thoughts…everything! He knows that my actual life on earth (my joys, my sorrows, my relationships, my plans, my accomplishments) is short in comparison to eternity with Him.

But from everlasting to everlasting
the LORD’s love is with those who fear him,
and his righteousness with their children’s children—
with those who keep his covenant
and remember to obey his precepts. (v. 17-18)

The Lord will not forsake me! His love is everlasting towards those who obey His commands.

The LORD has established his throne in heaven,
and his kingdom rules over all. (v. 19)

God is all powerful! He has an unshakable throne and rules over all. Salvation is found in no one else. There is no other name than Jesus by which I can be saved.

Praise the LORD, you his angels,
you mighty ones who do his bidding,
who obey his word.
Praise the LORD, all his heavenly hosts,
you his servants who do his will.
Praise the LORD, all his works everywhere in his dominion.
Praise the LORD, O my soul. (v. 20-22)

He is deserving of ALL praise! Blessed be His name!

It is fitting to give God alone all praise and glory
for who He is and what He has done for me (and for YOU)!